Give your HEDGE the EDGE
They provide a perfect backdrop to borders – so now’s the time to...
TOWERING above a stretch of the A93 in Scotland is the largest hedge on the planet – a 100ft-high by a third of a mile long bulwark that was planted in 1745 by Robert Murray Nairne.
Given its proportions, it’s no surprise that the Meikleour beech hedge i n Perthshire holds the records for tallest in the world and the longest in Britain.
It’s a magnificent structure that I’ve gazed upon in awe on holidays. Of course, it’s completely unsuited to a garden setting. Few of us have the space or need for such a statuesque hedge – and it takes a fourmember team six weeks to trim the Meikleour, working from the platform of a telescopic boom lift.
However, a modest row of trees or shrubs, kept at a reasonable height, is an essential feature for gardens. Set around the perimeter, they define our territory, provide privacy and muffle the sound of traffic. Inside gardens they add structure, whether dividing a space, edging walkways or forming the backdrop to a border.
Winter is the perfect time to plant a new hedge. Dormant bare-root or pot-grown specimens will form a mass of roots in moist soil, enabling
It takes four people six weeks to trim our mightiest beech
them to burst into life when the weather gets warmer.
Establishing hedges in spring and summer is much harder, as plants need regular watering to prevent a check to growth.
Hedges fall into two main camps based on their shape: formal and i nformal. Formal hedges are clipped tightly to provide a geometric look that works with a variety of garden styles, from contemporary to classic. Among the best hedging plants to use are hornbeam, beech, cherry laurel, yew and holly.
Informal hedges are not clipped hard – plants such as forsythia, escallonia, flowering currant and roses are allowed to produce flowers, fruit and berries. These hedges suit a more relaxed style. On the downside, they take up more space than their formal counterpart.
Wildlife hedges are informal ones that have been planted with species that provide food and shelter for a wide range of beneficial creatures. They typically consist of 70 per cent hawthorn with four or five other native varieties, such as hazel, spindle, blackthorn, holly, elder, alder and crab apple.
A good option for smaller gardens are so called ‘ hedges on stilts’. Hornbeam, holm oak, Photinia ‘Red Robin’ and many other species are supplied with a clear stem, 4ft to 7ft i n height, with a head of branches trained to form a flat plane. Once planted i n a row, branches intertwine to create a high-level screen.
Over the years I’ve received many emails from readers looking for alternatives t o dwarf box hedges decimated by fungal blight. Japanese holly ( Ilex crenata) is the perfect replacement, but also consider Rhododendron ‘ Bloombux’, a recent introduction that grows to 18in and tolerates soils with a neutral pH.
Prior to planting a hedge, give the ground some attention. Remove weeds and dig over the soil, working in plenty of leafmould, garden compost or well-rotted manure.
If you are planting an internal hedge in a lawn, strip away a 3ftwide band of grass with a spade. Mark out the course of your hedge with a bricklayer’s line and space plants 12in to 23in apart, depending on variety. A single-row hedge is fine for most garden situations but if you have the space, a double-row hedge will create a dense barrier. Set rows 18in apart, staggering plants in each row.
Pot-grown plants are best set in individual holes that are the same depth as the rootball and three times as wide – if the soil is hard, spike the bottom and sides with a fork to encourage roots to penetrate. Don’t add compost to the base of the hole as plants are likely to sink as the material starts to rot.
An effective way of planting bare-root specimens is to dig out a straight- sided trench, 23in wide by 17in deep. Put each plant in position, making sure the ‘tide mark’ of soil on stems is level with the surface. Replace excavated earth and gently firm into place with your heel. Finish by giving them a good soaking.
Once established, trim formal hedges every four to six weeks in summer, retaining a neat shape with slightly tapered sides. Informal hedges need pruning annually to prevent them becoming overgrown. Cut them to the required size after they have finished flowering or produced fruit.